The US Secretary of State and foreign ministers of Japan and South Korea yesterday released a joint statement to express concern over China’s military drills around Taiwan this week after a meeting in Belgium.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Japanese Foreign Minister Iwaya Takeshi and South Korean Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Tae-yul “expressed concern about provocative actions, particularly the recent military drills around Taiwan, and called for an end to further destabilizing actions,” according to the joint statement released by the US Department of State.
They opposed unlawful maritime claims or any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force or coercion in the waters of the Indo-Pacific region, it said.
Photo: EPA
They emphasized their commitment to maintaining a “free and open” Indo-Pacific and the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait as an indispensable element of security and prosperity for the international community, it said.
They encouraged the peaceful resolution of cross-Strait issues and opposed any attempts to unilaterally change the status quo, including by force or coercion and expressed support for Taiwan’s meaningful participation in appropriate international organizations, it said.
Germany’s Foreign Office also wrote on X on Wednesday, describing China’s military exercises as concerning and increasing tensions.
“Stability in the Taiwan Strait is paramount for regional and global security, and affects prosperity also in Europe. Status quo may only be changed peacefully and by mutual agreement, not force or coercion,” it said.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) expressed gratitude for the calls for peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait issued by the US, Japan, South Korea and Germany.
Peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait are a common interest of the international community, Lin said.
It is clear to the international community that China is the “troublemaker” attempting to change the status quo, he said.
Taiwan, as a responsible member of the international community, would continue to work closely with democratic allies to ensure peace, stability and prosperity in the region, he said.
Taiwan would cooperate with like-minded allies to safeguard the rule-based international order, the ministry said.
The ministry called for China to exercise self-restraint and to stop trying to coerce Taiwan and undertaking actions that unilaterally raise regional tensions.
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